Defiance: The Hybrid's Tale

Nathan Underhill.

Later that evening, after I got home, my mom made us lasagna for dinner. She then allowed my little sister to eat before tucking her in for the night. Even though Lilly slept most of the afternoon, she was still cranky and tired; the move from New York City to Shadowdale had taken its toll on her.

I shuffled my food around my plate while staring out of the window. It was already dark outside.

“Honey, are you OK?” My mom asked, patting me on my hand. “It’s not like you to play with your food.”

I sighed. There was something wrong. I had to admit it. When we fled from New York City, I thought my mom would have picked a no-name town to settle down in, allowing us enough peace to enjoy a bit of our lives before my grandfather and his dogs of hell sniffed us out again. But to my surprise, she chose Shadowdale... a werewolf-infested town with a coven of witches to boot. She had never done that before. She always tried to stay away from the supernatural when choosing a brand-new town to settle in. My brain has been chewed to mush by her decision. My mom knew it was dangerous, but she did it anyway.

I pushed my plate away and asked her the question she’d been avoiding for a while now. “Why are we here?”

My mom stared into my eyes before she wiped her mouth off with a napkin. “You have to be more specific—”

“Mom!” I cried out, hating it when she got cryptic with me. We always shared every little detail about our lives with one another. She was the only one in my life I could depend on, but the secret she’s been keeping from me has me worried. What was she hiding? And why did she think she needed to hide it from me? It stung.

Don’t raise your voice with me, young man.” She picked up her plate and walked over to the sink.

“I’m sorry,” I pouted. “It’s just that you brought us to a town full of werewolves and Mom hasn’t explained why.”

She turned around and leaned against the sink, folding her arms. “I have my reasons, son. We can’t continue like this, packing up and running all the time. There comes a time in one’s life when you have to take the beast by the horns.”

“And what happens if Grandpa tracks us down?” I did not like the idea of endangering my family like that—it was crazy. Taking a stand to protect one’s life and liberty was admirable, but if it came at the cost of another’s life, hell no! My grandfather wanted me dead, not my mom and baby sister.

“We’ll face him.” Her eyes softened as she walked over to me. She cupped her hands on my cheeks. “We can’t live like this anymore. I’m tired.” She kissed me on my forehead.

“But—”

“But nothing.” She pulled out the chair next to me and took my hand, squeezing it tightly. “I have trained you since you were six years old, and you’ve learned everything that I can offer. Even your stepfather,” she gestured to the picture on the table in the hallway, “taught you everything about how to be the best werewolf you can be.”

It was true. The first time we fled, I had a difficult time taming Fenrus. My shifts had become erratic and violent. I was a threat, not only to myself but to my mom as well. She used her contacts in the magical underground and tracked down a Greyback that began teaching me how to control and use my bestial side. Unbeknownst to me, my mom and my mentor fell in love and that is how Jacob Green became my stepfather.

I squeezed her hand back. “I’m just scared that I’ll lose you. It’s me he wants.”

“It won’t happen. I have a plan that will turn the tide. The time has come for the hunter to become the prey,” my mom said with a conviction in her voice that gave me a sliver of hope to cling onto. A small grin escaped her flawless face, making me wonder what twisted scheme she had concocted.

“May I ask what Mom has planned?”

She smiled and then playfully flicked her nail under my chin. “You’ll have to wait and see. Until then, trust me.” She leaned in and kissed me on the cheek this time before walking over to the sink to wash the dishes.

“I think we should trust her. She is the most terrifying human I’ve ever met.” I chuckled at Fenrus’ comment. ”I’m being serious here... I hope your grandfather knows what’s good for him and stays away this time.”

“Fat chance of that happening! Remember that I’m still appointed as his successor and he’ll chop his dick off before he allows that to happen.” I pulled the plate of half-eaten lasagna closer as my appetite picked up again.

When I was six, my grandfather appeared in front of the Elder Council and named me his successor to his legacy. I wasn’t the first grandchild though, but my grandfather didn’t think that my cousin, Alex, had it in him to take his place, so I was chosen. That decision came to bite my grandfather in the neck once I shifted and became the half-breed bastard who fucked up our family’s pure bloodline by being part werewolf. However, once a successor was chosen, it couldn’t be reversed unless the heir wasn’t able to fulfill his duties. In my grandfather’s eyes, he had to kill me.

***

After stuffing my face to the brim with food, I made my way to my bedroom. Most of my belongings were still packed up in boxes I shoved into the closet earlier. I was too lazy to bother with that right now. I walked over to a small desk in front of a window overlooking the forest. I removed my cellphone and flopped down onto the double bed, which stood in the corner of the room. I kicked off my sneakers and then undressed until I only had my red boxer briefs on.

Time to mark my space. (Don’t worry. There was no pissing on furniture involved.)

With a childish grin, I set off rubbing my back all across my bedroom’s carpet and walls until I jumped onto my bed, rubbing my scent deep into the bedding and mattress. After a frantic few minutes, I had successfully turned my room into my personal sanctuary. Fenrus finally calmed down and fell into a deep sleep. Before I could join him, a faint knock snapped my eyes open.

“Come in,” I said, rubbing my eyes.

My mom opened the door. “Have you finished marking your territory?”

“Arg! That sounds so gross, Mom.”

She laughed. “Come now, there’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I’m not ashamed...” Well, just a little bit. My human half tried to wedgie my wolf part for acting this way. However, I wouldn’t have been able to get a good night’s rest if I didn’t claim my space.

“Well, I just wanted to find out if you’re happy with your room.”

“I am,” I said, smiling while cuddling up to one of the pillows on my bed.

“OK then.” My mom smiled. “Good night and I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” She blew me a kiss.

I grabbed the kiss and said, “Good night, Mom.”

She closed the door. I immediately got out of bed and took a shower before turning in for the night.

***

After a week and a half, settling into our newly purchased home, I began to ease into my new life. I hoped it would last longer than just a few months. As vital as oxygen is for astronauts in space, so desperately I wanted to believe in my mom’s words, but the chances of having a normal life without fleeing from town-to-town was too steep a risk for me to take. For now, however, the immediate plan was to get ready for the upcoming semester. College... yeah, it sucked, but my mom would kill me if I didn’t finish my diploma.

“Nathan, honey. Nathan... Nat!”

I jerked my head off my comfy pillow, staring at my mom through a foggy lens as she stood at my bedroom’s door with a cup of pick-me-up in her hand.

“Get up, honey. We still have a lot to do around the house.”

I groaned, digging my face into the pillow. Although I never complained about helping my mom around the house by fixing leaky taps, cleaning the gutters, and cutting the grass, she usually turned into a tyrant. So usually, I had to halt her rise to power by rebelling against her bossy nature. She could have easily snapped her fingers and the chores would have been done in a jiffy, but noooo! She thought that relying too heavily on magic would have taken the fun out of living. But what was fun about doing chores?

“Come on, get out of bed.” My mom repeated.

“Good mornin’, big brother!” A soft angelic sound squeaked from the door.

I lifted my head and saw my little sister waving at me. I quickly jumped out of bed and crawled over to her. “Give the big bad wolf a kiss good morning.” I growled playfully.

My little sister giggled and ran down the hallway. “No!”

“I’m coming to get you!” I said, crawling after her while she screamed and laughed, running into our mom’s bedroom.

I crawled up to my mom’s bedroom door and sat with my legs crossed. I didn’t dare enter her room. It was just a quirk of mine. Just as I had a safe space, so did my mom and little sister. Even though my mom scoffed at my odd behavior, I still respected her personal space.

“Come here,” I said. “Give me at least a hug.”

“No!” My sister said, giggling while she jumped on the bed. Her stuffed toy was not with her. I turned to my mom as she watched our interaction with loving eyes.

“Dumbo is running around again, isn’t he?” I said.

My mom shrugged and said, “Maybe.”

I laughed while closing my eyes. Mother dearest enchanted my little sister’s plush toy again. She usually did so to keep Lilly entertained. I focused on the plush toy. After chanting a few words, a pink elephant plopped down on my lap. I caught the toy before it could scurry off.

“Lilly, look what I have?” I wiggled the toy in the air, catching my sister’s attention.

“Dumbo!” she cried happily.

She quickly hopped off the king-sized bed and ran toward her toy, but stopped in her tracks. She greedily eyed the plushy but stayed out of my reach. She began twirling her fingers around a brown wavy ponytail that hung over her shoulder. Her amber eyes were firmly fixed on the squirming elephant.

“How about this? You give me a kiss on the cheek and I’ll give you, Dumbo?”

“No!” She repeated, giggling. Tough cookie.

“OK, what about a hug then?” I pouted. “Just a little one?” I held out the plush toy while it trumpeted in my outstretched hand.

She slowly edged forward until she was in reach of her toy. She quickly snatched up the elephant and tried to make a break with her price without holding her end of the bargain. However, I was too quick and snatched her up with toy and all.

“Gotcha!” I wrapped her in a bear hug while kissing her chipmunk cheeks repeatedly.

She tried to wiggle her way out of my grip but it was futile. “Stop, stop!” She laughed.

With a last kiss on her cheek, I set my little sister down and watched as she ran into her room with her toy. She jumped on her bed and began to play.

“Thanks, Mom.” I took the cup of coffee out of her hand and kissed her on the cheek.

I headed back to my room and changed into a pair of blue shorts and a red t-shirt. I was busy pulling my training sneakers over my feet when my wolf spoke to me. “We’re going for a run?”

“Yip! We’ll get a bit of exercise before our slave driver puts us to work.”

I gulped down the last bit of coffee while running down toward the kitchen. I placed the empty mug into the sink before opening the kitchen door and stepping out into the back garden, which bled out into the surrounding forest.